84 PHLEUM. [class III. OBDER H. 



This vare species of Scotch grass is readily distinguished by its short 

 ovate spike, abrupt glumes, and long awn. It is remarked by Smith 

 that the roots are tuberous, a character which we have not obseVved, 

 but in all the specimens we have seen they are creeping, with numerous 

 joints and whorls of long fibres sent out from each of them. In Salt's 

 collection there are specimens communicated by " Mr. Sowerby, from 

 Forfar," which have the leaves shorter and much broader, the sheaths 

 more inflated and striated, and the whole plant much stouter, than is 

 its usual appearance. Probably this difi'erence may be from a luxu- 

 riant gi'owth of the plants. 



3. P. as'pernm, Jacq. (Fig. 104.) rough Cai's-tail-grass. Stem erect, 

 often branched ; panicle spiked, cylindrical, dense ; glumes wedge- 

 shaped, rough; awn short, blunt. 



English Flora, vol. i. p. 77. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 301. — Hooker^ 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 35. — Phle'um pariicula'hmi, English Botany, 

 t. 1077. 



Root strong, fibrous. Stem from eight to twenty inches high, smootli 

 and shining, tufted and branched, very leafy. Leaves somewhat rough, 

 linear, sharply pointed. Sheaths smooth, striated, slightly swelled. 

 Ligula oblong, obtuse, mostly torn. Inflorescence densely spicate, 

 slightly tapering at each end, from two to three inches long', often en- 

 veloped at the base \\ith the sheath of the upper leaf. Glitmes wedge- 

 shaped, swelling upwards, rough, with short pointed tubercles, termi- 

 nated with a short rigid awn. Glumelles unequal, ribbed, and some- 

 what downy. Anthers short. Stigmas capillary. Seed small, brown, 

 cylindrical. 



Habitat. — Rare. In dry elevated fields in Bedfordshire, Gloucester- 

 shire, and Cambridgeshire. 



Annual ; flowering in July. 



This plant, unknown to Linnx'us, is the Phala'ris as'pcr of Rctzius, 

 Willdenow, and the French Botanists. E. Bot. 



4. P. ^oc/jmeVi, Schrad. (Fig. 105) purple stalked Cat^s (ail-grass. 

 Stem simple; panicle spiked, cylindrical ; glumes lanceolate, acu- 

 minate, rough, ciliated at the keel. 



English Flora, vol. i. p. 78.— Lindley, Synopsis, p. 301. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 35. — Sinclair, Hort. Gram. Woburn. p. 317. — 

 Phala'ris phle'oides, Linn. English Botany, t. -159. 



Root fil)rous. Stem simple, erect, sometimes bent below, from six 

 to eighteen inches high, smooth, except near the top, frequently pur- 

 plish. Leaves short, rough, lanceolate, of a light-grccn or glaucous 

 colour. Sheaths long, striated, harsh, scarcely inflated. Ligula ob- 

 tuse. . Jnjlorescence a close .spiked panicle, from one to two inches long, 

 purplish. Glumes lanceolate, strongly keeled, abruptly terminating in 

 n point, scarcely nwned, the keel ciliated with white hairs. GhantlU$ 



